Text on screen.
WHAT TITLES MUST BE
Readable, briefly, on a small screen.
WHAT MAKES THEM READABLE
Sufficient size Strong contrast against the background A simple typeface Enough time on screen
HOW LONG IS ENOUGH
Long enough to read twice.
WHAT SAFE AREAS ARE
Margins where text will not be cropped by any player or platform.
WHY THEY MATTER
Platforms crop differently, and text at the edge disappears.
WHAT CAPTIONS PROVIDE
Accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers Comprehension in noisy environments Viewing without sound
WHY THAT LAST POINT MATTERS COMMERCIALLY
A large proportion of social video is watched muted.
WHAT THAT MEANS
Video without captions is not watched by many who scroll past it.
WHAT AUTOMATIC CAPTIONS REQUIRE
Correction, always.
WHY
They misrender names, terms and accents, and local accents fare worse than most.
WHAT TO CHECK
Every proper noun and technical term.
WHAT BURNED-IN CAPTIONS ARE
Permanently part of the picture.
WHAT THEY PROVIDE
Guaranteed display everywhere.
WHAT THEY COST
No ability to turn off or translate.
WHAT TO SUPPLY WHERE POSSIBLE
A separate caption file, which platforms can display and translate.
